


Thrice He Falls

by MaddeningNoise



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: First Kiss, Johnlock - Freeform, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, One sided, Reichenbach Fall, Reichenbach Feels, Sherlock is an idiot in love, Sherlock's POV, until the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 20:54:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5179271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddeningNoise/pseuds/MaddeningNoise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reflection on the several times that Sherlock Holmes fell for John Watson</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thrice He Falls

Sherlock Holmes fell for John Watson twice, literally, and once, over and over again.  
The first time he fell was painful for both, sentiment taking hold as he shuddered through the phone with a evil man behind him and a good man in front of him, and he focuses on the good one, asks him to remain where he stands and prays that John will catch a glimpse of the trick because, oh John that was never a trick but this is please, please figure it out.   
But he doesn’t. He mourns, goes into shock while Sherlock fakes dead, both dizzied by what has just occurred, and Sherlock wants to sit up and allow John to slap him for what he’s just done but he doesn’t, because the gun shot that killed Moriarity still rings in his ears as a reminder. 

When Sherlock returns, Mary is there.   
Mary, who has a secret tattoo and loves cats and is an only child and is kind and a guardian and will surely be better for John than he ever was. Mary, who he can’t hate because the man he loves, loves her.

Time goes fast. 

John gets married.

Sherlock is best man, though it causes him pain he never imagined was possible, pain he tries to whisk away with drugs and long nights spent in John’s chair, silently hating everything that he is. 

A shot rings out again, and Sherlock falls the second time. “Forward, or Backward?” Mind palace Molly asks. “Sherlock, which will save you? Forward, or Backward?”  
He falls backward, letting out a cry that he is barely aware of as he falls into hazy oblivion of pain. John finds him, calls an ambulance, and unknowingly restarts his heart. In return, Sherlock fixes the train wreck that is Mary and John.

The third time he falls, John is not there to catch him, because John does not know, because John must never know, because this is something he would surely be unable to forgive. The third time he falls, Sherlock falls in love. 

This fall took place sometime in between the first two, or perhaps sometime before, though it is entirely possible that this is an ongoing fall that continues every time he sees John Watson. As he stutters and struggles on the tarmac, begging himself to say it, just say it, get it out, and John stares on with confusion, Sherlock curses himself. He’ll never see John again, and he can’t say it. So he turns it into a joke. Sherlock Watson. He wants it so much. 

Sherlock boards the plane and stares out at the London landscape as he rises higher and higher, farther away from John Hamish Watson, his only friend, and best friend, never to see him again. 

He gets the call, Mycroft’s vaguely relieved voice as an echoing voice fills the background. 

Did you miss me?

Sherlock didn’t, not really. But he has never been so happy to hear that voice. In those five minutes, Sherlock has had an epiphany, and has come to a decision. 

When the plane lands, he strides purposefully across the tarmac to where John stands, a smile clearly etched upon the shorter man’s face, and kisses him.


End file.
